Stopcock-joint assembly

ABSTRACT

In abstract, a preferred embodiment of this invention is a combination stopcock-joint assembly used in laboratory work and particularly suited for high vacuum sample testing. This assembly is formed of three parts; namely, the double round joint with a hole and channel, a female joint and a male joint with a hole. When the two holes are aligned, a vacuum can be drawn through the joint but when the holes are misaligned a seal is formed.

United States Patent [1 1 Williams et al.

STOPCOCK-JOINT ASSEMBLY Inventors: Joel L. Williams, 18 Lake St., Rt. 2, Box 136, Cary; Vivian T. Stannett, 1105 Bancroft St., Raleigh, both of NC.

Filed: Dec. 27, 1971 Appl. No.: 212,215

US. Cl ..137/583, 251/309, 23/259, 23/292, 137/625, 137/47, 137/637.5

Int. Cl ..Fl6k 45/00 Field of Search .251/309, 310, 311, 251/312, 368; 1317/5525, 583, 637, 637.5, 625.47; 23/259, 292

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Anderson ..l37/637.5

1 51 May 22, 1973 2,185,457 l/l940 .luffa ..25l/309 X Primary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek Att0rneyJ0hn G. Mills, [[1

In abstract, a preferred embodiment of this invention is a combination stopcock-joint assembly used in laboratory work and particularly suited for high vacuum sample testing. This assembly is formed of three parts; namely, the double round joint with a hole and channel, a female joint and a male joint with a hole. When the two holes are aligned, a vacuum can be drawn through the joint but when the holes are misaligned a seal is formed.

ABSTRACT 12 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMYEZ I915 3734 12 7 SHEET 1 BF 3 FIG. 3

JOEL L. WILLIAMS VIVIAN T. STANNETT INVENTOR.

By /g w ATTORNEY PATENTED 2 W5 '3; 7 34,12 7

SHEET 2 OF 3 FIG. 4

FIG. 5

JOEL L. WILLIAMS VIVIAN T.STANNETT INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY PATfNIgmmzzms 3,734,127

sum 3 OF 3 FIG.7

JOEL L.WILLIAMS VIVIAN T. STANNETT INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY STOPCOCK-JOINT ASSEMBLY This invention relates to valve assemblies and more particularly to a combination stopcock-joint assembly for laboratory use.

In the past, various types of joint and flow control means have been developed particularly for laboratory applications. Many of these devices have been adequate for the purposes used but when applied in the areas of high vacuum, their inadequacies have been magnified. This is especially true where samples are placed in vacuum bulbs which have a relatively small volume and thus are greatly effected by the smallest leakage or captured dead volume. Using the standard available stockcock, the sample bulb has a joint connection to the stopcock. The stopcock, of course, has a moving part and another joint is used to connect the stopcock to the exhaust line. Thus there is a multiplicity of locations at which leakages can occur. In addition, the dead space or captured volume within the stopcock itself between open and closed positions diminishes the quality of the vacuum drawn in the bulb by introducing an amount of air equal to the captured volume back into such bulb.

After much research and study into the above mentioned problems, the present invention has been developed to provide a combination joint and stopcock assembly which eliminates all other joints and stopcocks between two mating lines. This is accomplished by forming the stopcock in the joint area itself. By so constructing the assembly of the present invention, a sample tube or bulb can be used as desired, capped with the assembly itself, and removed from the vacuum line in sealed condition. This is particularly beneficial in high vacuum work where sources of vacuum may be limited. As each sample tube is drawn to the desired vacuum, it can be sealed and removed so that the vacuum source can be used to draw a vacuum on the next tube.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combination stopcock and joint assembly formed in three parts with two of such parts being capable of cooperating in sealed relation to each other without regard to the third.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination stopcock-joint assembly that contains a negligible amount of captured volume.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination stopcock-joint assembly with a captured volume of less than 200ths of a millimeter.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a combination stopcock and joint assembly that is single action in operation.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a stopcock-joint assembly wherein the same can be opened or closed as well as connected and disconnected with one hand.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a stopcock-joint assembly which can be produced using conventional methods and equipment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination stopcock and joint assembly that does not require the stopcock portion to be individually seated to the remainder of the assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination stopcock-joint assembly wherein the parts of the assembly are interchangeable with the parts of other similar sized assemblies without requiring special seating or mating of the parts.

Other objects and advantages of the present inven tion will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the combination stopcock and joint assembly of the present in vention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the combination assembly of the present invention in assembled open position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the combination stopcock-joint in closed position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through a typical assembly showing the same used with a sample tube;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through a modified combination joint and stopcock assembly showing a syringe cap sample orifice;

FIG. 6 is a slightly modified combination stopcock and joint assembly; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the combination joint and stopcock assembly of the present invention used between a sample tube and a vacuum manifold.

With further reference to the drawings, the stopcock joint assembly of the present invention, indicated generally at 10, composed preferably of glass or similar material, is basically formed in three parts; namely, an inlet portion 11, a sleeve portion 12, and an outlet portion 13. The inlet portion of the assembly includes a ground, tapered exterior surface 14. Extending from the interior 15 to the tapered exterior 14 of the inlet portion is an opening 26.

The sleeve portion 12 is composed of an interior, ground surface 16 and an exterior ground surface 17. Thus the sleeve portion acts both as a male and female joint with the inlet portion 11 mating interiorly with sleeve 12 and the outlet portion mating exteriorly with such sleeve. An opening 18 is provided in sleeve 12 which communicates between the interior surface 16 I or tapered end 20, preferably in integrally molded form as clearly seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, although a stopper 21, such as that shown in FIG. 6, or similar closure could be used.

The interior wall 22 of outlet portion 13 ground to a Reinforcing ribs 23, as well as shoulder 24, shown in the drawings are for added strength but, of course, can be rearranged or eliminated as needed. Likewise the shoulder 25 of sleeve 12 will aid in the connection and disconnection of the assembly 10* but can be modified as necessary.

As can clearly be seen in FIG. 2, opening 26 of inlet 11 and opening 18 of sleeve 12 are so positioned that when such inlet and sleeve portions are mated, such openings will be in circumventionzal alignment. In other words, rotative twisting of one portion relative to the other will rotate the openings in a plane which at one point will provide communicative alignment of such openings.

taper and is adapted to matingly receive sleeve portion Even when sleeve 12 is mated with outlet portion 13, communication between the interior 22 of such outer portion and the interior area of opening 18 will be maintained through groove 19. Thus it can be seen that when the bore of openings 18 and 26 are aligned, communication can be had between the interior 15 of the inlet portion 11 and the interior 22 of outlet portion 13 by way of the aligned openings and groove 19. When the bores of the two openings are moved to misaligned position, the interior communication is closed or cut off.

As can clearly be seen in the FIGS., so long as misalignment of the openings in sleeve 12 and inlet 11 is maintained and as long as these two parts remain in operative contact with each other, an air seal can be held.

FIGS. 4, and 7 disclose a typical inlet portion having a standard sample tube or bulb 27 on the end thereof opposite tapered surface 14. Although this is a most desirable use of the stopcock-joint of the present invention, it is obvious that other embodiments can be used.

FIG. 7 additionally discloses a high vacuum manifold 28 to which a number of outlet portions or lines 13 can be connected. Also a line valve or stopcock 29 is disclosed so that the outlet portion can be cut off from the manifold when the sample tube or other embodiment is removed from such outlet portion. This, of course, prevents breaking or reduction of the vacuum within the manifold by leaving an opening to the ambient air.

The embodiment or modification disclosed in FIG. 5 includes an opening 30 through the outlet portion 13. This opening is surrounded by a collar 31 which is covered by air tight syringe cap 32. Thus a needle or other hollow instrument can be passed through the syringe cap (which is, of course, composed of a self-sealing type material) and samples can be taken from the interior of the inlet portion when the bores of openings 18 and 26 are aligned with syringe opening 30. This syringe cap embodiment has the advantage of allowing not only samples to be drawn from the interior of the inlet portion, but also the sampling of the quality of the vacuum that is being or has been drawn.

If deemed desirable, opening 30 can be provided in the outlet portion without collar 31 and cap 32, as seen in FIG. 4, so that venting to the ambient atmosphere can be accomplished by simply aligning the bores of the three openings hereinabove described. One of the advantages of this type of construction is to allow release of the vacuum within the inlet portion and its associated sample bulb so that separation of the various parts of the assembly can be more easily accomplished.

An example of a typical use of the present invention is when a vacuum sample bulb is connected to a vacuum manifold. The sample bulb, with its connected line, forms inlet portion 11. This is connected to sleeve portion 12 which in turn is inserted into outlet portion 13. Portion l3,'of course, is operatively connected to a vacuum source. lnlet 11 can then be rotated relative to sleeve 12 until the bore of openings 19 and 26 are aligned. At this point, evacuation of the sample bulb can be accomplished by the air being drawn from the inlet portion 11 through the aligned openings and along groove 19 to the interior of outlet 13. Once the desired vacuum has been drawn, the inlet portion can be rotated relative to the sleeve until the openings 19 and 26 are misaligned thus effectively closing or sealing the end of inlet 11. Sleeve 12 and its operatively associated inlet 11 can then be removed from outlet 13 for storage or other purpose without breaking the seal which has been accomplished by the misalignment of the openings. Once the combination sleeve and inlet have been removed from the outlet, another sleeve can be operatively connected thereto along with its associated inlet and evacuation or other process can be repeated.

It is, of course, to be understood that the combination stopcock-joint of the present invention can be used in many other applications than those herein suggested and thus the above description of use should be considered as given for illustrative purposes only.

From the above, it is obvious that the present invention has the advantage of providing a simplified, highly efficient, inexpensive combination stopcock-joint which can be used with standard interchangeable parts. Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a stopcock-joint assembly from which samples can be drawn without separating the parts of the assembly.

The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination stopcock and joint assembly comprising: a generally tubular shaped inlet portion; a hollow generally frustoconical shaped sleeve portion with a closed smaller end, said sleeve portion being adapted to cooperatively receive one end of said inlet portion; an opening communicating between the interior and exterior of said inlet portion in the area received by said sleeve portion; an opening communicating between the interior and exterior of said sleeve portion and lying in a circumference cutting plane with said first mentioned opening; an outlet portion adapted to receive said sleeve portion; and an exterior groove extending from said last mentioned opening to a point adjacent said smaller end of said sleeve whereby when said openings are axially aligned, communication can be had between the interior of said outlet portion and the interior of said inlet portion and when said openings are misaligned, said communication is closed.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a third opening is provided through the outlet portion, said opening lying in the circumference cutting plane with said first and second mentioned openings whereby communication can be accomplished between the interior of said portions and the ambient air when all three of said openings are axially aligned.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein a syringe cap is provided over said third mentioned opening.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said portions is composed of glass.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said inlet portion terminates, at its end opposite the sleeve portion, in a sample bulb.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a vacuum manifold is operatively connected to said outlet portion whereby a vacuum can be drawn on said inlet portion when said first and said second openings are aligned.

7. A combination stopcock and joint assembly comprising: an inlet portion; a sleeve portion that is closed at one end and is adapted to nestingly receive said inlet portion; an outlet portion adapted to nestingly receive said sleeve portion; an opening in said inlet portion; an opening in said sleeve portion so spaced as to align with said inlet opening when in a predetermined position; and a groove extending from said second mentioned opening to a point adjacent the closed end of said sleeve whereby communication between said inlet and said outlet can be accomplished through said openings and said groove when said openings are aligned and communication can be closed between the same when said openings are misaligned.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein a third opening is provided through the outlet portion, said opening lying in the circumference cutting plane with said first and second mentioned openings whereby communication can be accomplished between the interior of said portions and the ambient air when all three of said openings are axially aligned.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein at least one of said portions is composed of glass.

10. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said inlet por tion terminates, at its end opposite the sleeve portion, in a sample bulb.

11. The assembly of claim 7 wherein a vacuum manifold is operatively connected to said outlet portion whereby a vacuum can be drawn on said inlet portion when said first and said second openings are aligned.

12. The assembly of claim 8 wherein a syringe cap is provided over said third mentioned opening. 

1. A combination stopcock and joint assembly comprising: a generally tubular shaped inlet portion; a hollow generally frustoconical shaped sleeve portion with a closed smaller end, said sleeve portion being adapted to cooperatively receive one end of said inlet portion; an opening communicating between the interior and exterior of said inlet portion in the area received by said sleeve portion; an opening communicating between the interior and exterior of said sleeve portion and lying in a circumference cutting plane with said first mentioned opening; an outlet portion adapted to receive said sleeve portion; and an exterior groove extending from said last mentioned opening to a point adjacent said smaller end of said sleeve whereby when said openings are axially aligned, communication can be had between the interior of said outlet portion and the interior of said inlet portion and when said openings are misaligned, said communication is closed.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a third opening is provided through the outlet portion, said opening lying in the circumference cutting plane with said first and second mentioned openings whereby communication can be accomplished between the interior of said portions and the ambient air when all three of said openings are axially aligned.
 3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein a syringe cap is provided over said third mentioned opening.
 4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said portions is composed of glass.
 5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said inlet portion terminates, at its end opposite the sleeve portion, in a sample bulb.
 6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a vacuum manifold is operatively connected to said outlet portion whereby a vacuum can be drawn on said inlet portion when said first and said second openings are aligned.
 7. A combination stopcock and joint assembly comprising: an inlet portion; a sleeve portion that is closed at one end and is adapted to nestingly receive said inlet portion; an outlet portion adapted to nestingly receive said sleeve portion; an opening in said inlet portion; an opening in said sleeve portion so spaced as to align with said inlet opening when in a predetermined position; and a groove extending from said second mentioned opening to a point adjacent the closed end of said sleeve whereby communication between said inlet and said outlet can be accomplished through said openings and said groove when said openings are aligned and communication can be closed between the same when said openings are misaligned.
 8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein a third opening is provided through the outlet portion, said opening lying in the circumference cutting plane with said first and second mentioned openings whereby communication can be accomplished between the interior of said portions and the ambient air when all three of said openings are axially aligned.
 9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein at least one of said portions is composed of glass.
 10. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said inlet portion terminates, at its end opposite the sleeve portion, in a sample bulb.
 11. The assembly of claim 7 wherein a vacuum manifold is operatively connected to said outlet portion whereby a vacuum can be drawn on said inlet portion when said first and said second openings are aligned.
 12. The assembly of claim 8 wherein a syringe cap is provided over said third mentioned opening. 